SAN ANTONIO/HOUSTON, TX – Two Texas biomedical laboratories – San
Antonio's Texas Biomedical Research Institute and another at the
University of Houston – are being targeted by a non-profit research
watchdog organization, which charged today horrific deaths at the
facilities should result in government investigations and fines of
$100,000 or more.

Sensitive federal records reveal a shocking chimp death and two baboon
strangulation deaths at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute (TBRI)
in San Antonio, said SAEN, a national research watchdog group.

The TBRI lab should be heavily fined - $30,000, said SAEN, which
uncovered the deaths and has filed a federal complaint with the USDA,
which oversees research laboratories.

The Texas Biomedical Research Institute has a history of breaking
federal laws. It was cited for two macaque monkey deaths, on January 24,
2013. This same facility also paid a $25,714 fine during 2012 which
again involved improper handling of primates and deaths.

The University of Houston lab should be heavily fined – at least
$70,000, said SAEN, after sensitive federal records revealed a two-
week old rhesus monkey named Kwint died with a laundry bag string
wrapped around his/her neck. The documents also disclose an eight-month
long failure by laboratory staff to monitor monkeys who were deprived of
water for an extended period.

The USDA previously issued citations against the University of Houston
during a November 2013 inspection. This inspection cited the lab for
inadequate monitoring of a rabbit during a surgical procedure which led
to the animals' death.

“It is shocking that TBRI and University of Houston are again connected
to multiple incidents of animal deaths,” said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T.,
Executive Director, SAEN. "They have demonstrated a clear pattern of
incompetence that has killed multiple animals and potentially caused
severe suffering to others. These incompetent labs deserves the maximum
penalty allowable under the law."

The USDA report and SAEN's Official Complaints are available upon
request from SAEN.